


Sense

by Scrapp



Category: Assassin's Creed, Prototype (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Cyborgs, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 17:58:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8763262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scrapp/pseuds/Scrapp
Summary: Malik is a cyborg with a firm belief in order and the pursuit of knowledge, serving under a beloved King in a kingdom built on a foundation of peace. He is sent to find and capture a notorious thief and assassin dubbed only as the Golden Eagle. Malik believed once his duty was finished, he would be able to return to his peaceful life documenting the true history of the Kingdom of Aelcrest with no further excitement.Malik was wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

-1-

 

Master

Artisan of

Longswords and

Incantations for

Kings

 

That was the first thing Malik knew when he first woke up. He already knew what his purpose was in the kingdom of Aelcrest: to serve King Rashid, the longest reigning king, and (believed to be) the greatest human in the kingdom. Malik was programmed to think the same. He was not human. He was a machine. He had a purpose to serve, and he vowed to himself the very day he woke up that he would not stray from that purpose, no matter what.

 

That was 5 years ago. Now, on the first day of the Harvence Festival, Malik is awoken by the sunlight streaming in through his window. Malik gets out of bed and looks outside, watching the humans who had been burdened with the task of planning the festival set things up. Malik never understood festivals himself, but that was to be expected. He is a serious cyborg, one with an undeterrable passion for his work. He had no time to feel the emotions his creator worked so hard to instill in him; they would only distract him from work, along with silly human festivals celebrating the coming of the New Year.

 

Looking away from the hardworking humans, Malik dresses in his silver and blue robes, the color all Cyborgs of the kingdom wear. He gathers his scroll, a small silver cylinder with a tiny button on one end, and leaves his room.

 

"Malik!" He hears Kadar exclaim. He turns his head just as the younger Cyborg clashes with him. Malik mutters a curse, grabbing Kadar by the arm.

 

"What?" Malik frowns, taking in the sight of Kadar's filthy robes and tangled hair. It would be a normal sight, but not when it's 6 a.m. "Why are you up so early?"

 

"I was summoned by some villager in the East. They had a box that they found in their yard," he pulls a golden box out of the folds of his robes. It's decorated ornately, despite being such a small thing, with a tiny keyhole. Kadar beams, proud.

 

Both brothers both were passionate about their jobs in very different ways. Malik sees his job as a responsibility, something he must do. He is the best at creating weapons, documenting spells and history, and he knows it. Even with only five years of life, he has read every book in the kingdom, at least twice. He's studied every religion, every history book, he's even gone to the elders of the village to ask how they experienced certain events. His job is his duty, and he will not falter for even a second.

 

Kadar, however, has a very different job. His name stands for Keeper of Artifacts of Dangerous Ancient Rituals. He spends his time collecting anything seen as odd or dangerous. He knows how to have fun with his job, much unlike his brother. When he's summoned by terrified villagers for cursed daggers, or a ruby encrusted chalice, he goes in with no fear, only excitement of gaining a new piece to his vast collection. King Rashid even ordered that Kadar be given an extra room just for the things he gathers, on one condition- once inside, they can never come out again. Kadar agreed excitedly, and he was given the one and only key to the largest room in the catacombs, which has been nearly filled within three years. Regardless, Kadar always makes room.

 

"Is there a key for it?" Malik doesn't reach for the box, only observing it from afar. Kadar is protective of everything he finds; even his brother isn't allowed to touch his collection.

 

"Well, I haven't found it yet, but the villager promised that if he found it, I would be the first to know." Kadar says. Malik nods, then frowns.

 

"Will you ever open it?"

 

"Of course not! Malik, there could be something really dangerous in here- I'll probably fill the lock with glue or something so no one can open it." Kadar smirks, proud of his clever idea. Malik sighs and crosses his arms.

 

"Go clean yourself. You are a mess." Kadar's smile turns to a scowl at his brother's demand.

 

"I had to get under a house to get this beauty. Unlike you, Mr. I-Can't-Live-With-A-Single-Wrinkle-In-My-Robes, I'm willing to get dirty to do my job." And with a glare and a huff, Kadar stomps away to store his prize (and change into clean robes).

 

Malik walks down the remainder of the long, sleek white hallway to get to the door that leads outside. Malik has very few pleasures in his life, very few things that can put a smile on his face. Kadar is one. His work is another. But it's the view from the palace that really makes him feel as though he could be something more than just some Cyborg with a firm loyalty to his King and the kingdom of Aelcrest.

 

From the balcony on the third floor, if Malik looks straight forward, he can see the hundreds of shiny buildings. Most are small and humble, where the villagers live. In the heart of the kingdom is the marketplace, where several tall and proud buildings surround an large courtyard, where merchants sell their finest wares and shout to anyone browsing about how their specific items they're selling are a thousand times better than anything the next stand over has. The church for all faiths is to the North, and the bells chime three times a day- once in the morning at 7:30, once in the afternoon at 12, and once more at 8 at night. To the West is the clock tower- it's bells have been broken for years, and Malik vaguely remembers Kadar telling him a story he heard about some thief that resides within.

 

If Malik looks down, he can see the training yard for the humans that go into battle whenever it is needed. As always in the mornings, he sees Lucy, Captain of the Royal Guard and perhaps the only human Malik can hold a conversation with for hours, yelling at the poor young men who don't know how to wield a sword without stumbling. The more advanced warriors watch with smirks- to the men who have only recently been recruited, Lucy is a terrifying force to be reckoned with. To those who have gotten to know her well, she's a regular young woman with a heart of gold and a filthy sense of humor.

 

Malik quietly watches the trainees with little interest. His eyes always slip over to Desmond, the second best warrior Aelcrest has ever seen (after Lucy, of course). Desmond has a handsome face, with gentle eyes and a worried smile that appears every time Lucy screams at any trainee who stumbles even a bit. While he may be a Cyborg, Malik has still been blessed (cursed, in his opinion) with human emotions. He once felt pity for Desmond. Desmond's father had been a farmer, murdered by filthy traitors to the kingdom. King Rashid welcomed Desmond into the palace with open arms, and Desmond had felt it was his duty to fight for the man who saved him from a life on the streets. Even still, Desmond withholds a firm belief that everyone, even the men who killed his father, deserves a second chance.

 

Malik finally tears his eyes away when Lucy takes a break to talk to Desmond, and sits on his chair, taking out his Scroll and pressing the button on the end. A paper thin screen slides out horizontally, and it powers on with small, black letters that bid Malik a good morning, before returning to the document he was reading. Malik has recently taken interest in the Zeus Virus, a dangerous disease that spreads through humans and cyborgs. There was a terrible outbreak in a neighboring kingdom, but thankfully it was contained within a year. Yet no matter how hard he tries, Malik can't find a true source of the virus. Everything he reads has a different story- a Cyborg released it on purpose, a human released it on accident, the virus was purposefully created for destruction, the virus was a result of foolish scientists with no idea that they were creating the epitome of corruption. Only one thing is the same in every story, and that's the name of the person who released it: Alex Mercer.

 

"Malik," the voice of King Rashid sounds from behind him. Malik stands and turns, closing his Scroll and tucking it away. The old King smiles when Malik bows. "Rise, my friend. I have a task for you."

 

"What would you like me to do, Master?" Malik asks, returning to his standing position.

 

"There is a man I need information on. The people of the kingdom call him the Golden Eagle. Apparently, his eyes are as golden as the rising sun." King Rashid has a look of annoyance, something that surprises Malik. He rarely sees the King out of his peaceful state.

 

"May I ask why you need information on him, Master?"

 

"He is a criminal of the highest offences. He has assassinated several hundred people for his own personal gain, and steals from anyone that has even the slightest amount of money. A recent report shows he stole a measly bag of coppers from an old man in the marketplace," King Rashid sneers, then relaxes, and becomes calm once more. "I need you to find out who he is, and where he comes from. And if possible, bring him to me."

 

"And why have I been chosen for this task?" Malik frowns. "Surely Lucy or Desmond could find this Golden Eagle for you." And at this, King Rashid chuckles.

 

"Yes, but I want the man alive. You have a vast knowledge of everything in and beyond Aelcrest. And I suspect doing this would give us both information on the Underground." Malik's lip twitches in disgust when he hears that. The Underground is a city with no known location, and no clear motive besides causing mayhem in Aelcrest. Most criminals caught by the guards have the symbol of the Underground tattooed somewhere on their body; an insignia that looks similar to an arrowhead pointing up, but with the bottom of each side curved slightly inwards. Men and women found with these tattooed are immediately sent to the dungeons, and depending on their crimes, possibly to their death. When questioned, they simply hiss 'Nothing is true, everything is permitted," and nothing more, no matter what torture is brought upon them.

 

"I will not let you down, Master. I will find the Golden Eagle, and I will bring him here." Malik's teeth are nearly chattering with his excitement of finally being able to get true information on the Underground. As he goes back inside, his sensors fail to pick up the man hiding on top of the castle, watching the entire conversation with narrowed eyes and a sneer.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

Even though Malik failed to see the man on top of the castle, Desmond did not. Desmond tenses at the sight, but doesn't say a word to anyone about it. Lucy is busy humiliating a lady no older than 19 who dropped her sword on accident, and the other high ranking guards are betting on which trainee will be first to be kicked back to the streets. No one seems to notice Desmond slipping away, leaving his sword behind.

 

"Are you really this big of an idiot?" Desmond glares as he approaches the man on the castle. The man glances up from twirling a feather between his fingers, one eyebrow raised. The man smirks at Desmond's frown.

 

"I am not. No one saw me." Altair shrugs.

 

"I saw you. How are you to know no one else did?" Desmond crosses his arms. Altair smirks and taps his temple with one finger.

 

"I would have seen," Altair says. Desmond's hand twitches as he fantasizes about punching the smug look right off Altair's stupid face. "Don't worry so much. Sit down."

 

"I can't sit down," Desmond grumbles, sitting down anyways. "I have a job."

 

"You don't need a job here. The Underground welcomes-"

 

"The Underground is my enemy here. You should be too," Desmond grumbles, shutting his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't know why I even help you..."

 

"I found a bird today," Altair changes the subject without even a little hesitation, making Desmond frown at him. "It was wounded. I took it to Dana, and she had to remove it's wing. I need you to ask Rebecca to make it a new one."

 

Of course that's why Altair is there. Not to visit, or simply say hello. No, Altair is- always has been- a sucker for animals. Birds of all species flock to the towers Altair resides in at any given time. Desmond has seen it himself whenever he is away from the castle- pigeons gather at Altair's window, birds of prey circle above the towers and release a cry when they sense danger, something that has saved Altair from being caught many times. Desmond has never seen anything like it. Rebecca says it's probably because of Altair's sixth sense- perhaps the birds trust Altair because he shares their perceptive sight.

 

"Fine. Left wing or right wing?" Desmond sighs, and Altair smiles.

 

"Left wing- and it's an owl."

 

Desmond nods, and climbs down the side of the castle again. Lucy is in his face not even a minute later, frowning.

 

"Where did you go?" She crosses her arms. Desmond smiles apologetically.

 

"I found a wounded owl up there. It's left wing is missing," Lucy's expression goes from mildly annoyed to worried, so Desmond hurries to add, "I'm going to Rebecca so she can build it a new one." Lucy sighs, and nods, arms unfolding.

 

"Okay. Be back by sundown, please. I need help figuring out whether these idiots are ready to guard during the Harvence Festival," She huffs, and glares at the group of resting trainees. Desmond suppresses a grin and nods.

 

"I will. I'll tell Rebecca you said hello." Desmond leaves.

 

The village is buzzing with excitement for the festival. Desmond can feel it in the air, especially when he enters the courtyard, decorated with gold- golden balloons, golden flowers, even golden coins are in the fountain, which will all be donated to the Shelter once the festival ends.

 

The Harvence Festival is the most anticipated event of the year in Aelcrest. It lasts for two weeks, and on the final day, there are fireworks shot into the sky, but before then, villagers give each other gifts, and dance to the music that plays in the courtyard from dawn til dusk. There are no worries, no cares, no troubles in the kingdom during the Harvence Festival. Some would claim that even the worst of criminals take the time off during the festival to be with their loved ones.

 

Desmond, however, feels very little excitement during the festival. Sure, it's a beautiful event, and hundred of people around the world come to visit just to see it, but it's always felt like a foreboding thing to Desmond. The New Year approaching like a bomb about to go off and blow the previous year out of sight, and out of mind. And the entire kingdom celebrates with joy, ready to drink themselves into oblivion and dance until their feet are sore.

 

Desmond pushes the negative thoughts and the returning bad memories out of his head as he enters Rebecca's workshop. Down a small set of stairs, in a building smaller than the beautiful skyscrapers before it, he sees the hundreds of Cyborg body parts organized neatly, from heads to feet, and eyeballs to generators. The tools on the wall are arranged by size, and in small drawers underneath are nuts and bolts and other important pieces. Desmond smiles a little at the sight- the last time he visited, the place had been an absolute disaster, the body parts strewn around and tools dangerously out of place.

 

"Did your mother teach you any manners? Wipe off your bloody shoes before stomping into somewhere, dimwit!" A man hisses from behind a computer. Desmond blinks, not recognizing the voice, or the face. The man is glaring at Desmond through thin glasses, hands on his hips. His slicked back dirty blonde hair and sweater vest help to make him look like a self important asshole.

 

"Shaun! Be nice, that's my friend." Rebecca rushes in from the back room, huffing. "Desmond, this is Shaun, my new assistant. He's a historian from Westbrew," Desmond grunts at the mention of the kingdom to the South. Rebecca pinches his arm. "And Shaun, this is Desmond, my friend. He's one of the best guards in Aelcrest." She grins. Shaun sighs.

 

"Yes, well, that is very interesting, but as you can see, _Desmond_ , we are very hard at work, and do not need distractions." Shaun speaks like he's explaining something to a child. Desmond rolls his eyes, looking at Rebecca rather than responding to Shaun.

 

"If you aren't too busy, Altair needs you to make an owl a new wing. It's a left wing." He shows Rebecca the feather, which she snatches excitedly to examine.

 

"Oooh... Did he say what species?" She asks, looking at Desmond. When he shakes his head, she shows the feather to Shaun.

 

"It's from a Tawny owl. Medium sized bird, and this one seems to have a 81 centimeter wingspan." He says simply, obviously glad to show off his knowledge in front of Desmond. Rebecca grins.

 

"Awesome. I'll have it done by tomorrow afternoon," She tucks the feather away into one of the many pockets on her cargo pants, then looks at Desmond. "Do you want to see what I'm working on now?"

 

"Sure," Desmond says with a smile, and follows her to the back room. An unfinished Cyborg is there, powered down. He has thick black hair all down his chest, arms, and possibly legs, under the white cloth spread over him to hide his lower body. He has a full beard, and the hair on his head is short. His dark skin shines slightly under the bright white light from above. Rebecca beams proudly.

 

"Lucy asked me to make someone who can train the children who want to be guards. His name is Rauf," She sits at her desk, showing Desmond her personalized Scroll (fondly called "Baby") screen, which is filled with code, and a bar that is filled at about 32%. "I'm giving him a kind and gentle personality. He's going to be a great teacher."

 

"When do you think he'll be ready?" Desmond looks from the scroll back to the body.

 

"Probably in a few days. After his Soul is transferred, I can work on downloading combat skills and basic human knowledge. Then I'll send him up to you guys and he can begin!" Rebecca gushes, setting her Scroll aside and crossing her arms. Desmond snorts.

 

"Alright. I'll go tell Lucy that it'll be just a few more days before she never has to deal with novices again," he smiles, going to leave. "Thanks, Rebecca."

 

"Come back tomorrow!" She calls out after him. Desmond makes sure to drag his feet while passing Shaun, who looks irritated, then leaves, going back to the castle.

 


	3. Chapter 3

"We are not stopping to say hello to Rebecca," Malik pulls Kadar back to his side. "Last time we visited, she gave you that stupid bracelet and we were chased by everyone you made eye contact with." Kadar scoffs.

 

"It was a charm bracelet, Malik. It was only doing what it was meant to do," Kadar smirks, crossing his arms. "You're just mad because they all thought I was hot."

 

"No, they were bewitched. No one thinks you're "hot"." Malik rolls his eyes, glancing at every single person they pass. They're in the Marketplace, Malik searching for any signs of the Golden Eagle and Kadar searching for anything shiny and old. Kadar had insisted he come along to help, but so far he's left Malik four times to look at whatever the merchants are selling. Kadar pouts quietly, then huffs.

 

"What if Rebecca knows where the Golden Eagle stays? She has access to every security camera in the kingdom, she must be able to see him." Kadar grins when Malik slows, realizing his brother just might be right. Malik finally sighs in silent agreement, and changes his course to go to see Rebecca. Kadar hums happily, following.

 

"Good god, does no one know how to wipe their shoes off?" A young man with the bitter personality of an 80 year old glares at the brothers as they enter. Kadar frowns, and Malik glares back. Rebecca comes out of the back room with a grin.

 

"Kadar! Malik! How are my favorite Bots doing?" She hugs Kadar, but not Malik, only giving him a friendly smile- he had told her long ago he did not like hugs, and she's respected his personal space ever since. Malik offers a polite smile in return.

 

"We are well. I need a favor from you." Malik ignores the suspicious look from the man behind the desk. Rebecca nods.

 

"Of course! Anything you need, I'll help as much as I can," She smiles, hands on her hips and determination on her face.

 

"I want to review the security camera footage. I have been asked by King Rashid to find and capture the Golden Eagle," Malik watches as Rebecca's smile melts into a concerned frown, and the man behind the desk seems to go tense. "What is it?"

 

"Uh... Well, you see," Rebecca sighs. "I erased all security footage this morning. On accident, of course. Please, don't tell King Rashid." She looks deeply upset as Malik sighs and rubs his temples with one hand.

 

"... I have to. I cannot keep such a big secret from him, Rebecca. You know that." Rebecca's shoulders slump, but she nods.

 

"Yeah, alright..." She sighs, then smiles. "I could use your help though. Both of you," She leads them to the back room, where a newly awoken Cyborg is examining himself in the mirror. "He only woke up last night, around 9, but he's been taking in knowledge almost as quickly as you did, Malik. Although he is better at learning emotions." Rebecca smirks as Malik grunts. Kadar walks up to the Cyborg, curious. The Cyborg turns and smiles, nodding at Kadar.

 

"Hey," Kadar has lowered his voice slightly. Malik snorts, earning a quick glare from his brother before he turns back to the Cyborg. "What's your name?"

 

"I am Rauf," The Cyborg smiles, and Kadar looks as though he's ready to melt to the ground from overheating. Malik smirks a little. Rauf's voice, warm and low and gentle, truly is comforting, but it is clearly effecting Kadar the most. Rauf seems to notice too, because worry fills his face. "Are you alright, Kadar?"

 

"Y-yeah. I am. Alright. I'm alright," Kadar chews his bottom lip, then looks to Rebecca. "Hey, uh, you're pretty busy here, right? And you need someone to show him around. Maybe I could take him for a tour of the kingdom when you're done downloading his programs." Kadar smiles as innocently as he can manage. Rebecca is doing a horrible job of hiding her grin as she nods.

 

"Sure, you can show him around. He'll be ready tomorrow morning, you can come pick him up at 8. Would you like that, Rauf?" Rebecca smiles at Rauf, and he nods happily.

 

"I would be delighted." Rauf's eyes never leave Kadar's, and his smile is just as gentle as his voice. Kadar smiles back.

 

"I think I'm in love," Kadar sighs happily after he and Malik leave Rebecca's workshop. Malik glances at him as they head back into the bustling marketplace.

 

"You just met him, Kadar. You really think you love him alrea-" He's cut off as a man bumps into him. Malik glares at the man, hissing. "Watch it."

 

The man looks back at Malik and smirks, winking as he walks away into the crowd. Malik goes still for a split second, before shouting and following the man. It's no use though- like magic, the Golden Eagle has slipped away without a single trace, besides the warmth on Malik's skin from where there touched. Malik grits his teeth, looking around to try and catch even a glimpse of him.

 

"Malik!" Kadar jogs up. Malik had left him behind. "What was that, Malik? You just left!" Kadar huffs, obviously annoyed at his brother's sudden show of stupidity.

 

"I saw him, Kadar. Golden Eagle, he bumped into me." Malik mumbles, still glancing around. Kadar frowns.

 

"Are you sure?"

 

"Yes, I am. I saw his eyes- and he had this smug little grin. He winked at me," Malik narrows his eyes. "He bumped into me on purpose."

 

"What? Malik, no, it was probably an accident," Kadar pulls Malik to the side, out of the way of irritated villagers, frowning. Malik sighs heavily.

 

"Kadar, he is Aelcrest's biggest criminal, and his sight is supposed to be incredible. There is absolutely no way he didn't see me walking right in front of him." Malik gets angrier by the second. Not just because the man he is supposed to take to the King escaped, but because he deliberately bumped into Malik and had the absolute nerve to _wink_.

 

“Malik, let's just go. There's nothing good here, and I want to hurry and get home so I can choose an outfit for my date tomorrow.” Kadar grumbles. Malik stares at him.

 

“... The man King Rashid sent me after just got away, and you're worried about what you're going to wear to show some guy around the kingdom tomorrow?”

 

“I want to make a good impression. You can go chase after some criminal, but I wasn't assigned to help, so I'm going home to make myself look nice. Good luck catching the golden goose or whatever.” Kadar sighs, and walks away. Malik closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and opens them again, focusing on his surrroundings and silently vowing that he will bring justice upon Golden Eagle. When he sees a hawk circling the clocktower in the distance, a deep intuition settles into his gut, and he begins heading towards it as the afternoon church bells ring.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Malik's feet would have hurt by the time he got to the clocktower, if he were human, but thankfully he isn't, and he felt just fine. His rage has simmered down a bit, and he now looks up the old, winding stairs that lead to the top, where the clock glows brightly. Malik begins walking up, frowning. Now that his mind is clear of emotions again, he feels foolish for assuming the Golden Eagle would be in the clocktower just because a hawk was flying around it.

 

Malik has decided that when he returns back to the castle he'll apologize to Kadar, when he reaches the top, and sees the Underground insignia painted in shimmering gold on the wall, with bird wings outstretched on each side. Malik frowns, silently stepping closer. He touches the paint- it's still wet. He barely has time to register what that means when someone jumps on him from above, knocking him to the ground, and holds him down. Malik grunts, glaring back at Golden Eagle as best as he can with one cheek pressed hard against the floor.

 

"I did not think King Rashid's pets were smart enough to find me," Golden Eagle smirks, obviously pleased that he has the upper hand. "How'd you do it?" Malik grits his teeth at Golden Eagle's condescending tone, and lifts himself up, jerking his shoulders back so Golden Eagle is launched off by the sheer force of Malik's strength. Malik turns and grabs Golden Eagle by the collar of his black shirt, lifting him up.

 

"Give me your true name. Now." Malik narrows his eyes when Golden Eagle just snickers.

 

"You really think I'm just going to give you my real name? Perhaps I praised you too soon." Golden Eagle's grin widens when Malik growls.

 

"Tell me, or I'll tear your fingers off one by one." But Golden Eagle only chuckles at that threat.

 

"Well, someone gave you a head start." He smirks, lifting up his left hand. Malik frowns at the sight of the missing ring finger.

 

"... Who did that?" He mutters, confused. Golden Eagle leans in very close, too close for comfort (but Malik doesn't flinch) and whispers.

 

"Your precious king, Malik. He has been keeping secrets from you, and yet you still serve him. A coward who hides behind thick walls and an army of men," And with one swift movement, Golden Eagle has slipped out of his shirt, away from Malik. "You should really reconsider which side you are on. The Underground could use such a stubborn Cyborg." Malik scoffs.

 

"He is my King. A wise man who has ruled Aelcrest for many years, and I will not question him or his orders simply because a novice like you wants more people to join a rebellion filled with criminals and ignorant humans."

 

"I am not a novice." Golden Eagle glares, and Malik smirks. _That struck a nerve_.

 

"Oh? Then give me your real name, or I will go to the king and tell him that he has nothing to worry about- the legendary "Golden Eagle" is simply a novice that attempts to talk his way out of dangerous situations." Malik's smirk turns into a sneer.

 

"Fine. Tell him, when you eventually return, that you have found Altair, and that I will make him regret everything he has ever done." Altair's voice is cold, and his glare sends a shiver down Malik's spine. Malik frowns when he finally takes in everything that was said.

 

"What do you mean eventually?" He speaks slowly, frowning. A bag is shoved over his head, and he hears the elbow that roughly hits the back of his head before he feels the immense sense of pain that it brings, something Malik has never felt before. He doesn't even get to shout before everything goes black.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Kadar hadn't really cared when Malik didn't come back the night before. He guessed that Malik had found a clue, and went to search for more, (or he found out the guy who bumped into him wasn't Golden Eagle and felt stupid for making such a big deal out of it), but whatever it was, Kadar couldn't care less. He was busy planning for his date, and thanks to his hard work researching human dates and where to go, what to do, and what to say, he has the perfect outfit to wear.

 

So he waits nervously by the fountain at exactly 7:50 a.m., watching Rebecca's door like a hawk. The Marketplace isn't very crowded at all in the mornings- even the merchants aren't setting up their stands, probably at home with loved ones or at one of the many cafes scattered across Aelcrest.

 

Kadar sighs, tugging at his gloves quietly. He's never worn gloves before- he doesn't like the feeling of fabric pressed tight against his fingers, restraining him from getting closer to what he does. He supposes that's why his hands and arms are covered in burns and scars. He's handled several cursed chalices that have burned though his synthetic skin to show the metal machinery that makes up his body. He can't even count how many times the glass of enchanted mirrors have exploded and ripped up his arms. "It could have been prevented if you wore protective gloves", Malik always scolds whenever Kadar returns from work with a new scar, or missing slice of skin, but Kadar simply sticks his tongue out in reply.

 

Kadar used to think his roughed up hands made him look cool, and even had Rebecca stop replacing the skin. He never imagined he would be self conscious of it. Then again, he _never_ imagined he would meet someone like Rauf.

 

"Kadar?" Kadar's head snaps up when he hears Rauf's voice. He stares for a moment, feeling stupid now for wearing such plain clothes when Rauf is wearing a black shirt, long grey coat, and nice black slacks. His hair is even combed back nicely, and he has a bright smile on his face. Rauf nods at Kadar. "Good morning, Kadar."

 

"Good morning, Rauf," Kadar smiles when he realizes he can speak clearly without any stuttering. "Are you ready to go?" Rauf chuckles, and Kadar inwardly curses Rebecca for making a man so perfect in every way.

 

"Of course. Where will you be taking me first?" Rauf smiles. Kadar hums.

 

"Well," He scans the marketplace for a second, then catches a whiff of freshly baked muffins from the bakery down the street. "Food?"

 

"Food?" Rauf tilts his head, then nods again. "That sounds nice- I have never tried any foods before." And they begin walking. As they approach the bakery, Rauf takes in Kadar's outfit. "You are very handsome, Kadar. That color compliments your eyes." Kadar feels his face heat up, beating the cold Winter air.

 

"Oh. Thank you, Rauf," Kadar glances down to his own outfit- a plain blue longsleeved shirt, jeans, and sneakers- then looks back up at Rauf with a smile. "I think you're handsome, too." And when Rauf smiles back, sunlight spills through the clouds and onto his face, making his brown eyes practically glow. They slow to a stop for a moment, facing each other, (and Kadar almost thinks Rauf is going to kiss him) when the sidewalk seems to fill with people all at once, shoving past Kadar and Rauf and shouting insults at them for standing in their way. Rauf takes Kadar by the hand, and leads him the rest of the way to the bakery. When they get inside, Rauf sighs.

 

"I am sorry for taking hold of you like that. I didn't want you to be swept away by the crowd." He begins to release Kadar's hand, but Kadar snaps out of it and quickly gives Rauf's hand a squeeze. Rauf looks surprised.

 

"It's okay," Kadar smiles at Rauf, and Rauf smiles back, when someone clears their throat. Kadar glances to look at Jeff, the best baker in Aelcrest, who has a knowing grin on his face from behind his counter. Kadar shoots him a quick glare before looking at Rauf again. "What would you like to try?" Rauf looks at the menu, frowning, then shrugs.

 

"I do not know what I would like."

 

"Two chocolate scones, please." Kadar holds up two fingers, and Jeff nods, going to the back to help his husband bake the order. Kadar and Rauf sit at a table by the window, and when the scones are delivered, Kadar waits to eat his own, watching Rauf instead. Rauf takes a bite, chews, swallows, then grins.

 

"This is amazing! Do humans eat this all the time?" Rauf continues eating excitedly, stuffing his face like a chipmunk. Kadar laughs as he eats his own.

 

"Well, sorta. There's a lot more than just scones- these are just my favorite." Kadar grins at the crubs that have gotten caught in Rauf's beard. Rauf nods excitedly.

 

"I would like to try it all," Rauf finishes his scone. "We should come here again soon and try more." Kadar nods, beaming at the proposal for a second date. They soon pay, and leave.

 

Kadar and Rauf spend much of the day talking about food and the Harvence festival. Whenever they reach a landmark, like the church or the clocktower, Kadar gives a brief history lesson, before they return to comparing the taste of bread against the taste of chocolate, or which gifts are appropriate to give during the festival. When they return to the marketplace in the evening, now filled with people, Rauf turns and smiles at Kadar.

 

"Thank you for taking me today, Kadar. You are a very good guide," Rauf smiles, and Kadar smiles back.

 

"No problem, Rauf... I had fun." Kadar rocks on his feet, then stops when Rauf leans in, and very gently kisses him. Kadar can't even react through his shock before Rauf pulls away, smiles, and turns to go. He takes about six steps before he quickly turns, cupping Kadar's face in his hands and kissing him again, and this time Kadar kisses back, eyes shut and his hands resting on Rauf's shoulders. When Rauf pulls away again, his face is tinted slightly red, and Kadar feels his own face burning.

 

"Goodnight, Kadar." Rauf smiles, then leaves. Kadar watches him go all the way back into Rebecca's workshop before he grins ear-to-ear and bounces on his toes like a child.

 

"YES!" Kadar shouts, punching up into the air. He doesn't even care that he's frightened a small child, or that several people are glaring at him for being loud. Instead, he heads home, his grin never faltering.

 


	6. Chapter 6

"Why the hell did you bring a Royal Aelcrest Cyborg here, Altair?" Claudia hisses in Altair's face. He sets the knife he was carving down on the table he's been sitting at for two hours, and looks up at her. When Claudia isn't pissed off, she's very beautiful. With long dark hair, heavily lashed brown eyes, and no need for makeup of any kind, she's the Underground's most valued undercover agent. Now, however, her face is red with fury and her nose is scrunched up in a way that makes her look like an angry squirrel. The rage in her eyes could make any man cower, but Altair has known her long enough to not be afraid (although he was terrified of her when they were children).

 

"I don't know," Altair shrugs, and it's true. He has no clear idea of why he took the angry, stubborn Cyborg to the Underground, but after finding out from Rebecca that she was the one who made him, maybe he realized that it would be easy to convert Malik to their side, or maybe the fact that Rebecca doesn't put trackers in the Cyborgs she makes. It could even be that maybe Altair finds Malik sort of attractive, but he'd never confess that. "I just saw the opportunity and took it. Rebecca said he was made to craft weapons and spells."

 

"Yes, very useful to have kidnapped a Cyborg that practices magic and can create weapons. You truly are an idiot, Altair!" Claudia sits beside him, scowling, and only then does Altair realize;

 

"Why are you here?" Altair frowns at her. Claudia sighs and shrugs.

 

"Harvence Festival. Days three and four celebrate families. No man or woman wants to get caught with my girls during that time," She smirks. "This is the only time I have off.

 

"Ah," Altair nods. It makes sense to him now. Claudia is the leader of the best brothel- or so he's heard- in Aelcrest. She and her girls are skilled in drawing secrets out of nobles and guards, and if her girls can't crack someone, it's guaranteed that Claudia Auditore herself will. Altair is impressed with her. After her father and two of her brothers were executed in Aelcrest (called traitors and "found dead", although everyone knows it was no accident), she took care of her mother for a year. When she was old enough, she started the brothel in Aelcrest, rejecting to take her father's place as leader of the Underground after her final brother, Ezio, rejected it as well in favor of getting secrets out of those who don't go to the brothel with his silver tongue and charming appearance. "Is Ezio taking a break as well?" Claudia scoffs with disgust.

 

"Of course he is. He does not work much in the the first place, but especially now when beautiful men and women are roaming the streets in search for someone to "share the coming year with", he couldn't care less about getting secrets from the kingdom," She grumbles, and Altair can't help but grin. She smacks his thigh in response. "Anyways, you need to go see Dana. She got the Cyborg to wake up and calm down. He requested to see you." Altair sighs heavily and nods, then leaves.

 

The Underground is very different compared to Aelcrest, and for that Altair is thankful. He despises how very sleek everything is in the kingdom above, every building made of indestructible glass and steel, and the streets made from some silver material that sparkles at night. Even the fountain, as beautiful as it may be with it's elegant appearance and golden water, makes him feel disgusted. It's all just a superficial facade for King Rashid's lies. Something beautiful he created just to add to the perfect persona he's made for himself.

 

The Underground, however, has grown to be a beautiful, lush place. Despite literally being underground, plants have grown over everything. The tunnels that stretch all around, from every room, have walls covered in vines that stretch out in intricate designs on the floor, never the same way. Flowers bloom off of doors, and in the Central Yard, where most training goes on, there's a waterfall made with rainwater that comes straight from the ceiling (and the brilliant inventor of the Underground, Leonardo, has even found a way for the water to be purified and used all through the Underground for drinking and bathing). 

 

Altair can't help but grin when he thinks of it- while Aelcrest has falsified beauty, the Underground is pure and natural and alive.

 

He finally reaches Dana's loft. Once inside, he frowns at the sight. Dana, or Destablized Assassin Negociative Assistant, is fixing the Malik's arm. Malik glares when Altair enters. Dana glances up from her work to look at Altair for a split second.

 

"Hey, Altair," and then she looks back down, using a screwdriver to tighten a bolt. Altair watches. He rarely sees Cyborgs without skin, but Malik's has been sliced open to reveal all of the mechanics of his left arm underneath. "You should be more careful with Cyborgs; when he fell, the bolts in his arm came loose. He nearly lost it. We aren't all indestructible." She smirks a little, and Altair snorts.

 

"No, I suppose you can't all be like Alex." Altair says, and Dana laughs. Malik frowns, unable to hide his confused expression.

 

"Alex? As in Mercer? You two know him?" Malik's arm twitches as he speaks. Dana holds it still, then replies.

 

"He's my brother," Dana sighs and shakes her head. "Alpha Leader of Eagle XVII, made just for Rashid."

 

"He is a Cyborg? What is Eagle XVII?" Malik's frown deepens, and Altair stops himself before he can admire those intense, thoughtful brown eyes.

 

"No one knows," Altair says to distract himself, but it only gets harder when Malik looks at him. "He won't tell anyone. All we've gotten out of him is that it was something King Rashid had planned, but Alex managed to uncover something, and he was sabotaged with the Blacklight Virus soon after." 

 

"What happened to him?" Malik asks.

 

"He became a monster," Dana's voice is firm, eyes narrowed as she tightens the bolt more, and Altair can see Malik flinch. "He developed abilities no Cyborg was ever meant to have. He can take on the form of anyone he consumes, he can grow armor or a shield or weapons out of this... biomass that corrupted him." She pulls away when the bolt is tightened more than enough, and begins stitching his skin back together.

 

"I'm assuming he works for the Underground." Malik stays still for her, looking at Altair for confirmation. He seems surprised at Dana's sneer. Altair shrugs.

 

"No. He doesn't have a side in this rebellion. Alex thinks the Underground will end up just as corrupted as Aelcrest. He doesn't trust anyone but Dana and Leonardo." Altair moves to sit at a chair near Dana and Malik. Malik purses his lips, then grunts.

 

"But Alex himself corrupted an entire kingdom with the viru-" Malik is cut off by Dana hissing.

 

"My brother," She begins with venom in her tone, and Malik stays respectfully quiet, listening closely, "did not start that outbreak. He is not the one who created the virus, he did not release it to that kingdom. Alex knows what happened, and while I may not, I know my brother would never cause the death of thousands." And Dana glares at Malik until he nods.

 

"Alright. I understand," His voice is calm, and Altair can't help but feel impressed that Dana's anger didn't scare him. "I have been researching him for a while now. Do you think there's any way he would tell someone what happened?"

 

"Maybe if you asked nicely," A low, raspy man's voice says from the doorway. Dana's head snaps up and she grins. Malik looks as though he could go into shock at any second. Alex strides into the room with something in his hand- a mechanical bird's wing. "Rebecca wanted me to give this to you. Said it was for Altair." Alex hands the wing to Dana, who puts it aside and jumps to her feet to give her brother a hug. 

 

"Thank the maker you're okay!" She exclaims, hugging tight as though she never wants to let go, and Alex hugs back, but ignores her. Instead, he glares at Malik. 

 

"Why is an Aelcrest Cyborg here?" Alex growls. Dana takes a step back.

 

"Altair brought him here. His name is Malik, and we're going to convince him to help us." Dana places a hand on Malik's shoulder. "I fixed his arm." Alex sneers, cold blue eyes never leaving Malik's.

 

"Well, you owe Dana now. It's only fair that you help her and the Underground out after she saved your sorry little a-"

 

"Actually," Malik interrupts, voice sharp like a sword. "The Underground is the reason my arm was broken in the first place. Altair kidnapped me. I did not come willingly." Alex's eyes shoot to glance back at Altair, who sighs and nods.

 

"I did kidnap him after he attempted to find and capture me, but Dana is telling the truth. I want him to join us. He worked for Rashid." That was a mistake. Malik is pinned down to the floor by the chest, Alex on top of him and holding him down with hand that's now- somehow- become thick black biomass with outstretched claws. Dana screams in surprise and protest. Altair goes still, staring in horror. Malik's expression is stone cold though as he glares right back at Alex.

 

"You should have just killed him, Altair," Alex snarls. "He works for a man that-" 

 

"Rebecca made him!" Altair shouts. That works. Alex takes a moment, but eventually stand, releasing Malik, who lets out a shaky breath when Alex turns away to face Altair, who tries very hard to not cower back.

 

"... Then it shouldn't be hard for you two to convince him to join. It's already in his code, right?" And before he can be answered, Alex leaves. Altair collapses back into his chair, hands shaking. Malik is standing up, eyes shut. Dana sighs, slouching back into her own chair and lowering her eyes. Altair finally grunts and stands. Malik looks at him.

 

"We should go. I'll show you the Central Yard." Altair walks out of the room, back into the tunnel, and Malik follows without protest.


	7. Chapter 7

"Malik?" Kadar enters Malik's bedroom, frowning. It's been three days since he last saw his brother, and no one else seems to have any idea where he is. And, since he's been on two dates with Rauf since the first, he can't exactly keep being angry at Malik. After all, who else does he have to talk to? Lucy is too scary to approach, and all Desmond offers him is polite smiles and small talk. Not to mention Rebecca, who seems unable to stop grinning and winking whenever Rauf and Kadar are within even ten feet of each other.

After a quick glance around the room, and realizing that Malik is nowhere to be found within the castle, Kadar starts to panic. Naturally, his first instinct is to go to King Rashid, but if Malik went missing during his search for the Golden Eagle, surely the entire kingdom would panic. And if it ended up with them finding Malik in a library or bar, then both he and Kadar would be screwed. 

So of course, Kadar goes to the second most qualified person to ask for help from.

Kadar finds Rauf and Rebecca talking when he enters the shop, something about fixing pipes. When Kadar stumbles in though, their conversation comes to a halt. Rauf is at his side in an instant, worried.

"Albi, are you alright? What is wrong?" Rauf helps him stand up straight.

"Yeah," Kadar hugs him tight, and Rauf hugs back. Kadar almost forgets what he came for, lost in the warmth of Rauf's love, but remembers and almost shouts. "I think Malik is in trouble!" Rauf frowns, glancing at Rebecca, who actually isn't smiling for once. 

"Why do you think that?" Rebecca asks, standing up. 

"He went to investigate the clock tower three days- almost four days ago. He was trying to find the Golden Eagle, I'm worried he was captured." Kadar's eyes fill with tears. Panic is beginning to take over. He misses his brother so, so much, and the thought of him being captured, the thought of him being hurt- it all melts away when Rauf very gently runs his fingers through Kadar's hair. 

"Kadar," Rauf takes a deep breath. "We know where Malik is, but it's a secret. Can you stay calm and quiet for a few days? Just pretend nothing is wron-" 

Kadar had every intention of letting Rauf finish. He wanted Rauf to keep him calm and safe and warm, but his last request fills Kadar with rage. Kadar shoves Rauf away, hard, and shouts.

"Stay calm?! When you know where my brother is but you can't be bothered to even tell me? I want to know where Malik is! I want to know if he's safe! Tell me, Rauf, tell me where he is!" Kadar's voice is strained and his face is red. Rebecca puts a hand on his arm but Kadar slaps it off. He doesn't even feel bad when he realizes he may have used too much force and hurt her.

"Kadar, please. We'll tell you what happened, but you can't tell anyone, okay?" Rebecca pleads. Kadar glares, but lowers his voice.

'Tell me where my brother is." 

"He's at the Underground." Rauf mutters. Kadar stares at him. 

"Sit down, Kadar. We have... we have a lot to discuss." Rebecca's voice is solemn. Kadar does as she asks, and is told everything. Rebecca is one of many undercover agents for the Underground. She was once a loyal Aelcrest citizen, until her younger brother was killed "in the name of scientific studies". Then she seeked out the Underground. RAUF stands for Refined Agent of Underground Forces. He's a still in training Cyborg who's going to train novices in the Aelcrest Royal Guard and convince them to join the Underground and rebel against King Rashid. Malik is apparently being convinced to join the Underground as well, although he is proving to be difficult to persuade. 

"We need you to keep this a secret, Kadar," Rauf says. His voice is tired, and he looks sad. Kadar has refused any affection from him, and Rauf has refrained from trying to hug him after being rejected the first two times. "If we took you to the Underground as well, Rashid would notice, and he would find us. And we can't just take you there and back. He has the means to search your memory."

Kadar stays quiet for three solid minutes. Rebecca and Rauf watch, and both stand when Kadar does. Kadar hugs Rauf, burying his face in his chest, and Rauf holds him close. 

"I... I need to think. I won't tell anyone. I just need the time to think." Kadar whispers. He feels weak, and sad, and he knows Rauf feels the same. 

"Okay. Stay safe, Albi." Rauf kisses his forehead. Kadar nods, and leaves.

When he gets home, it's late. He didn't even realize how fast time had passed in Rebecca's shop. Kadar crawls into bed, and curls up into a ball. It takes hours for him to go into his sleep mode. All he can think about is his brother's safety, and how much he would like Rauf to hold him and tell him everything will be okay.


End file.
